Online security, or data security, is all about protecting personal data and payment information. While nothing in the world is perfectly protected, including what’s in the virtual world, there are things which can be done, both by businesses collecting the information and by the individuals providing it, to mitigate the risks of online communication.
One of the most important things which everybody should be aware of before providing a website with information you don’t want to broadcast to the world is HTTPS or an SSL certification. This is the indicator that the connection is encrypted, which is very important for preserving your privacy.
Another concern is with sharing your credit card information online. With this, HTTPS may not be enough to rely upon, and trusting SMB websites, even if they have an SSL certification and are PCI compliant, may not be a good idea, as their budget for security investments may be very limited. If they use a payment gateway, then you can usually have a higher level of trust in the security.